Category: college

I just recently completed my first year of college. Everyone says time flies, but you really do not believe them until you experience it firsthand. This time last year, I was nervous, excited, anxious — you name it — for college to begin. I would google “advice for freshman in college,” watch YouTube videos with people discussing their college experiences, and pin all kinds of college tips and tricks on Pinterest. Now that I am on the other side of the long awaited freshman year of college, I thought it would be fun to make my own list of advice. Rather than it all come from me, I asked other college students from a variety of schools what advice they would give to someone getting ready for college in the fall. Without further ado, here are the fifteen best pieces of advice from college students for college students.

“Be comfortable with change. Your high school friend group might fall apart. Your relationships might not work out. Your schedule is going to be completely different. But it’s all good.” -Chrissy, Elmhurst College

“Transitioning into a new environment can be hard, especially if you are a long ways from home. The best advice I can give with that situation is make friends, go out and do activities you’ll love, and call home as many times as you want when you’re feeling homesick.” -Taylor, Oregon State University

“My advice would be to be true to who you are when you are meeting new people. If you aren’t yourself, you will make friends for the wrong reasons and it will eventually crumble. Also don’t be afraid to try new things, college is a place to explore new things and ideas.” -Michael, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

“If someone you went to high school with goes to the same college as you, don’t feel any obligation to be friends with them/socialize with them” -Malissa, San Francisco State University

“Make friends with people besides your roommate, and don’t be afraid to try things on your own! Don’t always try to stick to one group of people.” -Brittany, California State University, Fullerton

“Get involved. Joining a club, greek life or an organization will be the best way to make friends and meet new people. You have the opportunity to bond with others over things you’re passionate about and it brings a new level of depth to friendships. Talk to the person you sit next to in physics lab, they might end up being your best friend.” -Ashley, Auburn University

“Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and get involved as soon as possible, [and] if you need help in a class, ask for it sooner rather than later!” -Lily, Sonoma State University

“Go to office hours whenever you get the chance. That’s how I passed my difficult classes.” -Brad, San Diego State University

“Who you are as a human being is not contingent upon your academic performance. You may get an A, but you are not an A. You may get a C-, but YOU are not a C-…Bottom line—you are not a failing grade, or a lost match, or a bad breakup. You have intrinsic value. Period.” -Samantha, Princeton University

“If I didn’t exercise, eat good, healthy food every day, and get a good amount of sleep, I would be really tried and wouldn’t be able to focus. Treat your body well if you want to do well in your studies.” -Trevor, University of Portland

“Don’t procrastinate, that is the worst thing you can do in college. Trust me, you would much rather be sleeping than pulling an all nighter for a paper due the next morning. Also, it’s the best feeling in the world to leave the library before all your friends do during finals because you’ve already studied.” -Nikki, Auburn University

“Realize that the amount of work that you’re going to be suffering through these next four years will be worth it once you’re doing the thing you love.” -Megan, University of California, San Diego

“1. Go make time to go to the gym or stay active because the freshman 15 is a real thing. 2. Get involved in clubs, student body or intramural sports. They’re [a] great way to [get] involved and you meet a lot of friends. 3. Make sure to manage your time wisely, [as] college is completely different than high school. You have to make sure you balance your academic [life] with your social life because you’ll have a lot of freedom and a lot harder work. ” -Brittany, Liberty University

“Don’t think you have to know what you want to do right away. It’s alright to change your mind or veer away from your planned schedule to explore other interests. Everything is fixable, and taking that photography class you’ve always wanted to take won’t kill any plans to graduate in four years.” -Kash, New York University

“Don’t let the fear of appearing stupid get in the way of having fun.” -Clinton, Brigham Young University

(Special thanks to the 15+ college students who contributed to the making of this article.)